Water Quality Program Analyst

The Merrimack River Watershed Council (MRWC) seeks a full-time Water Quality Program Analyst to join our dynamic and growing team. This role is ideal for someone who is a highly organized self-starter and prides themselves on: 1) collaborative teamwork, 2) technical skills in water quality, 3) constructive problem solving,4) education and outreach skills and 5) existing community connections in the Greater Lowell and Greater Lawrence areas, or the skills to build those connections. If you have a strong work ethic, passionate drive, and enduring commitment to water and climate justice in our watershed, consider joining our team.

About MRWC: The MRWC is a nonprofit environmental organization that protects and improves the Merrimack River Watershed for all people and wildlife through science, education, recreation, and advocacy. We work with diverse stakeholders, decision makers and communities to address threats including water pollution, habitat loss, aging infrastructure, and climate change. MRWC has a main office in Lawrence, Massachusetts and a secondary office in Concord, New Hampshire. However, MRWC works throughout the entire 5,000 square mile watershed, which begins in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and flows out to the ocean at Newburyport and Salisbury, Massachusetts.

About the Position: The Program Analyst will be supervised by the Water Quality Program Manager and the Director of Policy and Outreach. The Program Analyst will work closely with MRWC staff to expand, integrate and manage MRWC’s activities in: 1) water quality monitoring, and 2) engagement of a diverse group of stakeholders to solve water related issues. The Program Analyst will implement programing to monitor the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the Merrimack River and its tributaries. The Program Analyst will grow and manage a wide network of diverse water quality monitoring volunteers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Water Quality Monitoring Program coordination (Approximately 75% of work)
  • Manage MRWC’s volunteer-based water quality monitoring on the Merrimack, including regular year-round sampling and hotspot monitoring.
  • Adjust and improve the program over time to ensure program is scientifically sound and efficient
  • Manage data collection, data recording
  • Maintain water quality monitoring equipment and supply inventory
  • Analyze samples using our in-house IDEXX system
  • Support the Water Quality Project Manager in the following:
    • Data analysis, and technical reporting.
    • QA/QC and uploads to the EPA database
    • Communicate findings to local, state and federal partners through presentations, meetings, and public speaking engagements
    • Identify areas for further study or for targeted solutions, based on data findings

• Community Outreach and Education (Approximately 25% of work)
  • Support community events
    • Invasive species removal events
    • Trash cleanup events
    • Tree-planting
    • Fish counts
    • Talks and walking tours
    • Tabling, conferences and webinars
  • Support youth education events
    • Visiting classrooms to do environmental education
    • Outdoor education programs

Required Qualifications:

Above all, we seek an individual who is motivated to take on new challenges and believes in this work. The ideal candidate is a collaborative self-starter with drive and enthusiasm. Required:

• Ability to manage and prioritize a wide range of projects
• 3 years relevant work experience or a Bachelor’s degree
• Excellent inter-personal, verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to implement scientific studies– collect data and manage data
• Experience working across diverse groups and neighborhoods
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree in environmental science, hydrology, aquatic biology, ecology, environmental chemistry, civil/environmental engineering or related field
• Project coordination experience
• Experience managing volunteers
• Bilingual in Spanish(spoken and written)
• Familiarity and community connections within the Merrimack River watershed
• Experience with data visualization software and programming - R, Tableau or Visual Basic

Location: This position is based out of our Lawrence, MA office. Work occurs throughout the watershed so regular travel and field work within the watershed should be expected.

Schedule: Full-time non-exempt with options for flexible scheduling. This position requires early morning and weekend work, and occasional evening meetings and weekend events.

*This position requires field work, including on water, in boats, or on uneven terrain.

Salary and Benefits:

Starting salary is dependent on experience with a range of $52,000 - $56,000. Benefits package includes health/dental insurance (90% employer contribution) and an IRA with company match.

To Apply:

Send a cover letter and resume to careers@merrimack.org with the subject line “Water Quality Program Analyst.” Applications without a cover letter will not be reviewed. No calls, please.

At the Merrimack River Watershed Council, we don’t just value difference — we celebrate it and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our services, and our community. MRWC is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.